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Detailed information |
Pre-requisites |
SE BC2: Induction: Team development UND SE BC1: Foundations of management UND KS BC3: Foundations of management science
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Original study plan |
Master's programme Leadership and Innovation in Organizations 2024W |
Objectives |
- Students gain an overview of the quantitative research process
- Students understand the potentials and conditions of use for different research methods
- Students understand the typical biases which tend to affect quantitative researchers
- Students know how to design and conduct an own empirical research study
- Students learn to develop questionnaires and to collect quantitative data via online survey tool.
- Students practice how quantitative data can be analyzed
- Students learn to document the entire research process
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this course, the students will be able to:
- LO1: Explain the quantitative empirical research process
- LO2: Design and run a quantitative research project
- LO3: Select appropriate research methods to collect and analyze quantitative data and argue about their advantages and disadvantages
- LO4: Present quantitative research findings
- LO5: Document a quantitative research project and rise points of limitations in relation to the research process, applied methods for sampling, data collection and data analysis
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Subject |
The overarching aim of the two courses on Research Toolkit in the LIO program is to help students to better understand and critically reflect on empirical research based on different methods and research techniques in quantitative and qualitative research traditions.
Research toolkit 1 focuses on quantitative research in the field of business studies. Students will become familiar with different quantitative research approaches and learn about different methods of quantitative data collection and analysis. Students will gain an understanding of what constitutes a good research design and will practically apply some methods of data collection and analysis. Students will develop the competence to write a quantitative method section like in a quantitative research paper or a quantitative based master thesis.
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Criteria for evaluation |
In total, students have the possibility to reach 100 points, 60% for the group tasks and its presentation and 40% for individual tasks. A minimum number of points for each task is necessary in order to obtain a positive grade. If so, summed total points translate into the final grade as follows:
Points | Grade |
87.0 - 100.0 | 1 (very good) |
75.0 - 86.5 | 2 (good) |
63.0 - 74.5 | 3 (satisfactory) |
50.0 - 62.5 | 4 (sufficient) |
0.0 - 49.5 | 5 (failed) |
The grade is based on following assessment categories (see below for task descriptions)
Group Tasks:
- Research project (part 1): Developing a survey (20%): Students have to develop a questionnaire in their research groups related to their defined research question(s) (20 points max., 10 points min.)
- Research project (part 2): Implementing the online questionnaire (20%): Students have to implement an online survey via LimeSurvey. They have to administer the survey with a small pilot sample, Start the data collection and spread the survey to gain a sample of appropriate size. (20 points max., 10 points min.)
- Research project (part 3): Analyzing the data and presenting the results (20%). Students have to export the collected data from LimeSurvey and import the data into SPSS. They have to analyze the collected data and answer the research question(s) assigned to their group. The findings have to be presented in a group presentation in the last session of the course. (20 points max., 10 points min.)
Individual Tasks:
- Participating in in-class discussions and group work (10%): Students have to participate actively in the course sessions and in group work as well as in giving feedback to others. Students also have to read the core readings and come prepared for classroom discussions. It is expected that students search for and read additional literature related to the course topics and selected research questions. Participation is only possible if the student is in class. (10 points max., 0 points min.)
- Seminar paper: Research Process documentation (30%): Students have to document the entire research project short seminar paper. This includes a description of the research process as well as the main findings of the group analysis. The students should include an appropriate argumentation about the selection of chosen methods and tools like in a method and result section of a research paper or Master Thesis. A discussion about difficulties, limitations and shortcomings of the research project should critically reflect the research project and process based on quality criteria of good research practice in quantitative research. (30 points max., 15 points min.)
Related to group work:
If there are identified group problems during the semester there will be an anonymous group evaluation which gives each group member the possibility to rate the individual participation of their colleagues.
Feedback culture:
Feedback includes group feedback during the planning and preparation of the research project (mandatory), at the end of the presentations (mandatory) as well as individual feedback (one-to-one conversation) from the course leader at the end of the course (voluntary).
Synchronization of learning outcomes and assessments:
LO1: Seminar paper + Research project presentation
LO2: Research project (part 1 + 2 + 3)
LO3: Research project (part 1 + 2+ 3) + Seminar paper
LO4: Research project presentation
LO5: Seminar paper
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Methods |
The didactical foundation of this course is a combination of input sessions provided by the teachers, self-study (specifically reading and preparing different tasks before class) and discussion rounds about quantitative research practice. This course require active participation as the students should experience the different phases of running a quantitative research project.
In this course we follow an experience-based learning philosophy. The course provides an understanding of the quantitative empirical research process. Students not only learn theoretically how to structure, to plan and to run a quantitative research project – they will also apply the introduced research concepts within an own class-based research project. Within this research project students will have the opportunity to apply the research toolkit and to experience practical difficulties in planning and running a research project.
Following the teaching philosophy of this seminar, students will collect and analyze quantitative data to answer their own defined research question. This will be the basis for reflecting about good quantitative research designs and relevant quality criteria in quantitative empirical research.
The course uses a combination of different teaching methods in order to
- address the learning objectives in the didactically best way.
- maximize the motivation and attention of the students.
This includes the following
- Teacher-centred information inputs, supported by slides and literature
- Self-directed learning, supported by literature
- Large and small group discussions and analysis, debates
- Conducting quantitative research projects in group work
- Presentation and discussion of pre-liminary and final research results
- Feedback sessions about research process, questionnaire and survey development, data analysis and results interpretation
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Language |
English |
Study material |
Core Readings
Aguinis, H., Hill, N. S. & Bailey, J. R. (2019). Best practices in data collection and preparation: Recommendations for reviewers, editors, and authors. Organizational Research Methods, (https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1094428119836485)
Saunders M., Lewis P. & Thornhill A. (2019). Research Methods for Business Students (8th ed.). Harlow [u.a.]: Prentice Hall, Pearson Education. Online resource form JKU library. Chapters 1, 2, 7 & 11
Jaykaran (2010). How to select appropriate statistical test? Journal of Pharmaceutical Negative Results. October, 1(2), 61-63.
LimeSurvey Manual: Surveys – Introduction: http://manual.limesurvey.org/LimeSurvey_Manual
Suggested Reading
Diez D., Barr C. & Cetinkaya-Rundel M. (2019). OpenIntro Statistics, 4th Edition. OpenIntro. Free PDF version is available at www.openintro.org.
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Changing subject? |
No |
Corresponding lecture |
986CABURS1S19 SE RS1: Research Toolkit I
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